Dr. Shabazz in front of the Accra International Conference Center in 1998!

The Africa Union just celebrated its 50th anniversary last month as African dignitaries came from around the continent to chart a course for the next 50 years. Started as the Organization of African Unity in 1963, the idea was inspired by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s idea of a united Africa. In a 1958 speech to the African People’s Congress, he gave a vision of the “United States of Africa”. Dr. Nkrumah had just led Ghana to its independence in 1957 and while his vision has yet to be realized, Pan-African unity remains the platform of progress.

Part of the vision of The Chess Drum is similar and Pan-African in its essence… to connect chess players of the Africa Diaspora and to show the world the accomplishments of players of African descent. Conversely, the idea is also to expose the African Diaspora top-level events. The Chess Drum will return to the land of the Black Star and hopes to visit with the chess community, report on the activities and perhaps get some first-hand interviews.

24 Responses to “Shabazz carries beat to Ghana!”

[…] Shabazz carries beat to Ghana! The Chess Drum The Africa Union just celebrated its 50th anniversary last month as African dignitaries came from around the continent to chart a course for the next 50 years. … […]

Last night me and a Ghanaian friend were having a conversation about various Caribbean countries and the African ties. He spent some time in Jamaica and we were discussing similarities of cuisine and culture. It was interesting.

I will post pictures here for those who may not have access to Facebook.

Samsung is omnipresent here in Ghana and such billboards help the cause.

You can buy virtually anything on the road.The specialty here seem to be snack foods.

Delta flies from New York’s Kennedy. They cancelled the Atlanta-Accra flight years ago.

Captivating! Gets my attention… 🙂

Founding Fathers

Chinese companies have heavily vested here.

Kofi Annan Center for Peacekeeping

While I didn’t always agree with his Excellency’s decisions as Secretary General, his center is an interesting model for Africa. That is only if it is not dominated by external powers.

School kids… ever jubilant.

Boys marveling with cell phone, a market that has exploded in Africa. Africans are much more fanatical about cell phones than any people I’ve seen. Perhaps this is due to having skipped so many stages of communication. This is the first platform in which they have been able to catch up.

These boys were singing and chanting.

Street vending is widespread in Africa and it is actually a very good method of distribution. You can buy virtually anything on the street. The drawback is the risk involved. However, it is very convenient.

This is raw sewage flowing in the gutter. Sanitation is one of Africa’s biggest obstacles to development in health and prosperity.

The marketplace… very vibrant!

I was actually walking forward with the camera at my waist and snapping pictures. I hate to make people uncomfortable by pointing the camera. This is a zoomed shot. I was a bit farther away and this woman has a somewhat intriguing look at me. 🙂 I never noticed her in reality.

My friend Yussif buying mangoes. They were huge!

Good?

One of the many traditions of the African Diaspora worldwide… hairbraiding.

One of the more surprising trends in Africa… the popularity of wigs and long weaves.

It is interesting how our lives are separate but at some point in time they cross. Oftentimes we do not recognize each other, yet we are all trying to grow and flourish at the same time. Look at the following five photos:

Seemingly all separate occurrences but…

… our stories often cross paths!

Sometimes our creativity in expression gets the best of us! See it? 😯

A place where I would eat Ghanaian porridge.

This was porridge made with corn, millet, sugar and ginger. Very tasty!!

In case you are wondering, Sekou Nkrumah is the son of the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, visionary and first President of Ghana. He was named after Sekou Toure’, Guinea’s first President and the man who made Dr. Nkrumah co-President after he was deposed.

Players wait for the start of the round. Edward Sosu visits.

Finale’… Kwadwo vs. Kojo, 1/2-1/2.

Me with George Arko-Dadzie, President of Chess Association.

Winners… Kwadwo Bonsu and Kojo Hasford. Incidentally, both names are pronounced the same. Also pictured is Carlton Hushie, the young upstart.